GAS EXPLOSION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1170, 4 July 1911, Page 6

GAS EXPLOSION.

A VIOLENT "BLOW-OUT." SOME WONDERFUL ESCAPES. About 4.25 p.m. yesterday two llarlrour Hoard employees, named C. King and T. Ridley, wore working in the vicinity of the Taranaki Street Wharf, when they encountered a , strong smell of escaping gas coming from the direction of tlio small tolls office at the head of .the wharf,* and which is used by JI.M. Customs officials.. King, who is a waterman, proceeded towards the building to investigate the cause of the leakage, and was closely followed by Hidley. They had just reached the door of the office when the latter lit a match. At once there was a violent explosion, and both men were -blown through the doorway out on to the wharf. The office was wrecked, the windows broken, and the door blown off its hinges, and part of the roof disappeared. The window facing the wharf was blown into (he harbour a distance of 40 yards.

Flames quickly appeared, and although the City hire Brigade were promptly on the scene the office was gutted. The door was:standing open at tho time, otherwise the building must have been blown up. A horse attached to a vehicle. standing on the weighbridge was knocked down by the force of the explosion, and was otherwise affected. >

Both men received severe bums about the head and facc, and it is considered that, on.the whole, they had a miraculous escape. . After receiving medical attention they were able to proceed to their respective homes.